Queso 'Qontroversy'

Landmark Austin restaurant boiling mad over Fort Worth queso controversy

Much ado about queso.

Photo courtesy of Matt's

Queso is a topic sufficiently serious in Texas that it's the subject of a new lawsuit between two restaurants. On June 28, Austin's own Matt's El Rancho filed a lawsuit against Horseshoe Hill Cafe, a Fort Worth restaurant owned by chef Grady Spears, for featuring its trademarked Bob Armstrong Dip on its menu.

Bob Armstrong Dip is the loaded queso named for former Texas Land Commissioner Bob Armstrong, who was a regular at Matt’s El Rancho. Back in the '70s, proprietor Matt Martinez Jr. supposedly created a special queso per Armstrong's request, souping it up by adding guacamole and crumbled taco beef.

Obviously Matt's did not invent queso. But the restaurant is well known for the dish: Southern Foodways Alliance, a group that documents food in the South, did a small film on it, as didBon Appetit magazine. Matt's trademarked it in 2015.

That said, Spears has a history of putting "Bob Armstrong dip" on menus at some of his prior restaurants, such as Grady's Line Camp Steakhouse.

According to KXAN, the lawsuit states that Horseshoe Hill's "Bob Armstrong Dip and Chips" is too similar to El Rancho's Bob Armstrong Dip, and alleges "trademark infringement, trademark dilution, and unjust enrichment."

Matt's El Rancho seeks monetary damages and a ban against Spears using "Bob Armstrong Dip" in the future.

The lawsuit also includes a copy of a letter indicating that Matt's tried to keep the matter out of court, offering to resolve the matter if Spears stopped using the name.

It also says that Matt's sent Horseshoe Hill multiple cease-and-desist letters and verbal warnings; apparently Spears did not respond.

However, since news of the lawsuit emerged, Horseshoe Hill Cafe's website has been updated, with a newly-labeled item called "Famous Lawsuit Dip."

And on June 30, Spears posted a link to the Dallas Morning News' story on the lawsuit on Facebook with a rather unrepentant-sounding introduction that says, "The Dip That Caused a Lawsuit."

He appears to be doubling down. On July 1, he posted an offer stating that he's "celebrating America with the 'Famous Lawsuit Dip,' $4 all week at Horseshoe Hill. Come and Get it!!"

tex-mex

Back to the Plow

Homey Austin jam and bake shop closing and returning to farmers market

Confituras/Instagram

Confituras Little Kitchen is closing its brick-and-mortar store, but feeling optimistic about the future.

A famers market find is returning to its natural environment after six years in a brick-and-mortar location. Confituras Little Kitchen, which specializes in locally sourced preserves, is closing its jam and biscuit shop after service on Sunday, December 22. However, it will continue selling goods at the Barton Creek Farmers Market and via retailers.

Confituras announced the change in a newsletter to its customers in December. The letter called the news "bittersweet."

"Although the brick and mortar will no longer be, the good news is that this will be a fresh new start for us – we are bursting with energy and creativity at the thought of being back out in the community where it all started for confituras," it said.

The kitchen is closing because the lease is up, and the team has decided to "give up the chase." The newsletter emphasized the ups-and-downs of business over the past several years — ones that were chaotic for just about any business, let alone a small, fairly niche food operation.

"So much has happened since we decided to open a brick + mortar – a wonderful kickstarter fundraiser, THE PANDEMIC, the AFTER-EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC, and an ever growing city," the letter says. "We tried so very hard but never really got our footing. We know we are not alone, many small business are in the same boat. We renewed our lease during the pandemic because we were hopeful we could make it work - the changing times had other ideas."

Finally, it shared how customers could keep enjoying Confituras creations:

The Barton Creek Farmers Market is open at 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy. every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm.
A list on confituras.net compiles retailers including Royal Blue Grocery, Farmhouse Delivery, and Antonelli's Cheese Shop.
Jam share and Table22 subscription customers will have more instructions coming soon about picking up their goods in January at the same space, 2129 Goodrich Ave.
Customers may also reach out to inquire about continuing to order meals directly.

The kitchen also hosted frequent events and workshops, but the letter did not address this aspect of the business.

A shorter message shared on Instagram has inspired 63 comments so far, five days later. Customers eulogized the shop for its community feel and providing a sense of regularity during the height of the pandemic thanks to weekend pick-ups.